Mary Ellen and Chuck Doyle and Texas First Bank Donate $100,000 for Plumbing Program
“We are happy to once again support College of the Mainland and its role of educating this community [by] providing opportunities for careers and for good lifestyles,” Chuck Doyle said. “We like to be a partner with COM. It’s a wonderful way to help the community become a better place to live.”
Through their generous donation, the Doyles hope to continue the important work started by their longtime friend, Mitchell Chuoke Jr. “Mitchell set the example that all of us would like to follow as professionals in our trade or in our business that we’ve chosen as our career,” Chuck said.
Honoring the life and legacy of Mitchell Chuoke Jr., the plumbing program recognizes his longstanding commitment to the plumbing industry and will prepare students with the essential skills and training needed to ensure that the next generation of plumbers are ready to fulfill the jobs of tomorrow.
“Over the past 60 years Mitchell Chuoke Jr. and the Chuoke family have built an impeccable legacy in the plumbing business,” said Chris Doyle with Texas First Bank. “They have been stewards of the communities they serve and always eager to help those in need. For these reasons, and many more, Texas First was one of the first to step up and support the Mitchell Chuoke Jr. Plumbing Program at College of the Mainland.”
Offered at no cost to students, the pre-apprenticeship program will collaborate with Plumbers Local Union 68 and will train and prepare individuals for entry into an apprenticeship in the plumbing trade. It serves as a foundation for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a plumber but may not have prior experience or knowledge in the field. This 80-hour program will cover residential and commercial aspects of the plumbing trade, emphasizing safety.
A fast-growing profession, Texas Workforce Solutions projects that by 2028 the Gulf Coast region will need more than 15,000 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters to support the demand in the growing region. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), plumbers across the Houston area earn a median annual hourly wage of $27.08.